“It is evident that ExxonMobil is committed to excellence in safety, security, health and environmental performance,” said NSC president Janet Froetscher, who presented the award to ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson. “The Council is honored to recognize ExxonMobil with the Green Cross for Safety medal. This organization is a wonderful example of the role corporations can play in preventing injuries and saving lives.”

Not only should the recent spill have caused the NSC to hesitate about giving the company an award for outstanding commitment to safety, but the company’s resolve to clean up their disaster has also been called into question.

While the NSC is legally listed as a non-profit, non-partisan organization, their internal makeup is a good indicator of the true nature of the group.

A quick examination of the National Safety Council’s board of directors shines some light on why they would honor a company with such an abysmal safety record. Their board is stacked with current and former Exxon executives, current executives within the dirty energy industry, and plenty of representatives from the chemical sector, including some higher ups from Monsanto and DuPont.

The NSC is just another industry-packed organization whose only purpose is to further the goals of their pals in industry. The real problem is that the mainstream media has failed to connect the dots between Exxon and the National Safety Council.

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.

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